The use of water-in-oil emulsions for frying often is accompanied by spattering. Usually a distinction is made between primary spattering and secondary spattering. Primary spattering occurs when a frying product contains a emulsion phase as well as a dispersed aqueous phase. When heating the emulsion to a temperature over 100° C. the dispersed water will evaporate under more or less spattering.
With secondary spattering is denoted spattering which occurs when water or a water containing food product such as meat is brought into a heated frying emulsion.
The present invention is related particularly to a method for improving secondary spattering behaviour. Secondary spattering behaviour is measured by determining the spattering value SV2 according to a protocol as specified in the examples section.
Common anti-spattering agents for water-in-oil emulsions comprise emulsifiers in a broad sense e.g. lecithin, hydrolysed lecithin, esters of citric acid (Citrem™) and cooking salt. The effect of sole lecithin on spattering is small. When lecithin is used in combination with cooking salt, well performing cooking emulsions having SV2 values up to 8 can be achieved. Lecithin, however, has the disadvantage that it may decompose at high frying temperatures and causes bad smell, discoloration and foaming. The cooking salt (specifically sodium chloride) is not recommended from a nutritional point of view, but has to be added in a substantial amount, exceeding 0.3 wt. % to get good spattering behaviour.
For improving spattering behaviour EP 477825 and EP 771531 disclose the use of citric acid esters as synthetic antioxidants.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,122 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,021 disclose water and oil emulsions comprising a citric acid ester of a mono- or diglyceride of fatty acids.
WO 01/84945 uses a citric ester of a partial fatty acid glyceride which results in SV2 values of at least 4.
EP 775444 discloses a pourable emulsion composition comprising herbs, spices, nuts or seeds and 1-10 wt % salt.
WO 03/051136 discloses a transparent oil which contains stably dispersed particles which may have a vegetable origin.
A relatively high salt content is typical for most prior art cooking oils which show an improved spattering behaviour. The presently available alternatives for lecithin and cooking salt consist of non-natural substances.
H. Pardun, in Fette, Seifen, Anstrichmittel 79(5), 1977, pp. 195-203 describes the use of milled soy protein concentrates as antispattering agents in margarines. The antispattering agents proposed by Pardun have the disadvantage that when heated in the pan during shallow frying, they may decompose and give char formation. Moreover, we have found that when margarines of Pardun are prepared using modern margarine equipment, such as a votator, the antispattering agents are no longer effective.